'Pavitra Rishta-2' is happening; Shaheer Sheikh replaces Sushant Singh Rajput
And it's official! Zee Studios has started the production of Pavitra Rishta 2, bringing all speculations to rest. While Ankita Lokhande will reprise her role as Archana in the reboot, actor Shaheer Sheikh has come on board to play Manav, the male lead that was originally played by late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Marking the start, the cast recently posed with clapboards.
'Sometimes in most ordinary lives, we find most extraordinary love-stories'
The buzz around the show getting a second season has been doing the rounds for a while. No confirmation were made till these pictures. So, this surely comes as a bittersweet surprise for fans. "Sometimes in most ordinary lives we find the most extraordinary love stories. Witness the extraordinary love story of Manav and Archana in #PavitraRishta coming soon on #ZEE5," read the caption.
It can be streamed on ZEE5, ALTBalaji
Apart from Lokhande and Sheikh, senior actress Usha Nadkarni was also seen holding the clapboard. Notably, Lokhande and Nadkarni are the only two cast members returning from the original show. This time, Pavitra Rishta will see a digital release, as it will be dropped on ZEE5 exclusively for 55 days, following which it will also be available on ALTBalaji.
No premiere date has been revealed yet
'All the best but can't watch without Sushant in it'
The reception to the announcement was mixed. While many congratulated the actors and the production house for reviving the popular soap, Rajput's fans opined no one could replace him. One Twitterati wrote, "All the best for the show however, can't watch it without Sushant in it." Other comments were more direct. "Deserves to be accepted. Hell no. Deserves to be boycotted that's what."
'For us Manav was and always will be Sushant'
Makers had addressed the 'pressure' of living up to expectations
Makers are obviously aware of the pressure that comes with replacing a beloved actor. Earlier, casting director Aditya Suranna had said, "For the rest of the actors [other than Lokhande and Nadkarni], they have a challenge." "Especially for Manav, for Shaheer Sheikh it is a big challenge to live up to that space." The original season aired on ZEE TV, concluding in 2014.
